Key facts
- A robot sculpture named Orifice, also known as Awebot, has been created to interact with delivery robots.
- The artwork is made from wood, foam, and silicone, incorporating human hair.
- Awebot is remote-controlled and designed to be a playful counterpoint to delivery robots.
- The project is a collaboration between artist Madison Polidoro and the art collective Ministry of Awe.
A pink, otherworldly moving sculpture made of wood and foam, named Orifice and later Awebot, is now interacting with delivery robots on the streets of Philadelphia as a form of public art. Artist Madison Polidoro, working with the art collective Ministry of Awe, built the remote-controlled robot as a response to the increasing presence of automated delivery services. Polidoro, who describes herself as a maker who works by hand without AI or 3D modeling, aimed to bring a handmade, human element into the urban landscape. The sculpture, which incorporates silicone and real human hair, is designed to be a playful antagonist to the delivery robots, creating an improv experience with the public.